raising hands during salah?

I m confused.
I have read at many places that one should raise his/her hands before goin into ruku and prostration.
Recently i read somewhere that this practise was later prohibited by our Prophet(S).
Hazrat Jaabir Ibn Samurah (radhiallahu anhu) relates that once Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) came out of his house towards us and said: "Why is it that I see you all raising your hands as though they are the tails of stubborn horses. Be tranquil in salah". [Sahih Muslim, Hadith 430]
[This hadith alone makes it clear that those narrations which mention the raising of the hands (during the salah) were narrated prior to the prohibition of this practice].
Why this differnce of opinion?

Re: raising hands during salah?

When should hands be raised during the prayer?
I would like to know raising the hands during the prayers. What is the right act exactly? As we know in the deen there must be unity, even in the daily prayer. So there are many ahadith speaking differently about raising the hands: one of them speaks of raising the hands only after the first takbeer, and another is speaking about raising the hands after all takbeer. What is right? We have only one messenger (Muhammad s.a.w) so there must be one way of praying!!

Praise be to Allaah.

It is Sunnah to raise one’s hands in four places during the prayer:

When pronouncing Takbeer al-Ihraam (the first Takbeer), when bowing in Rukoo’, when rising from Rukoo’ and when standing up after the first Tashahhud. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started his prayer, he would say “Allaahu akbar” and raise his hands, when he bowed in rukoo’ he would raise his hands, when he said “Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah [Allaah hears those who praise Him]” he would raise his hands, and when he stood up after two Rak’ahs he would raise his hands. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2/222; Abu Dawood, 1/197).

The meaning of “when he stood up after two Rak’ahs he would raise his hands” is, when he stood up after the first Tashahhud.

The hands may be raised to the level of the shoulders or the ears. See Al-‘Ayni fi’l-‘Umdah, 5/7; Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi, 4/95; Sifat Salaat al-Nabi by al-Albaani, 87.

Re: raising hands during salah?

Originally Posted by k.aleena

Recently i read somewhere that this practise was later prohibited by our Prophet(S).
Hazrat Jaabir Ibn Samurah (radhiallahu anhu) relates that once Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) came out of his house towards us and said: "Why is it that I see you all raising your hands as though they are the tails of stubborn horses. Be tranquil in salah". [Sahih Muslim, Hadith 430]
[This hadith alone makes it clear that those narrations which mention the raising of the hands (during the salah) were narrated prior to the prohibition of this practice].

The scholars give some explanations to the above hadith:

Allah's Messenger was referring to some bedouins who would just raise their hands without any purpose in the salat.

Allah's Messenger was referring to those people who would raise their hands instead of making the tasleem at the end of the prayer. This is why you'll find this hadith usually mentioned under the chapter heading 'Bab fee at-Tasleem' (chapter concerning the tasleem) in Hadith books.

* Also, if this hadith was indeed referring to the raising of hands before and after the ruku', then it would apply to ALL instances when one raises the hand, even the beginning of the prayer. (However, it is proven that we raise our hands, as you can see from naidamar's post)

[These points were highlighted by Sh. Suhaib Hasan (UK) during his explanation of Muwatta Imam Malik]

Re: raising hands during salah?

Originally Posted by k.aleena

Why this differnce of opinion?

The issue of Raf'ul Yadain (raising the hands before and after Ruku) is a very intensive one. There are many Muhadditheen and Mujtahideen that supported each of the opposing views. According to Imam Abu Hanifah (RH), Sufyan Thawri (RH) and one view of Imam Malik (RH), the hands are to be raised only during the start of the Prayer.
Imam Shaf'i (RH) and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal preferred the view that the hands should also be raised while going to the Ruku and after raising up from the Ruku.

Both these views are based on authentic narrations of the Prophet . For a detailed discussion of the narrations that limit the Raf'ul Yadain to the start of the Prayer only, please view: http://www.central-mosque.com/fiqh/detraf.htm

To understand what a Scholar actually means when he says "this is the strongest view", please read this post.

Originally Posted by Muraad

There are many reasons why a scholar may deem an opinion the strongest. In fact there are so many reasons, that it is quite possible (and has happened) that one scholar will deem an opinion stronger based on one criterion, whilst another scholar will deem another opinion stronger based on another criterion. It helps to be aware of the fact that the basis of weighing an opinion is an in-depth compound process, the explanation of which goes beyond the scope of this article. However those interested may refer to any good books on Usūl al-Fiqh (principles of jurisprudence).

Based on this, it is a mistake of students to understand the statement of their sheikh when he says this position is the strongest to mean all other opinions are weak or invalid. Despite the obvious fallacy in this way of thinking, it also shows a lack of understanding of what it effectively means when a scholar makes such a pronouncement. They are simply exposing their understanding of which position they feel is strongest, their personal stance, which is subjective. It is important to limit their perception and findings as such and not inflate them and exaggerate it as if it is the objectively strongest opinion, which in all honesty, none but Allāh knows. Indeed this is with all aspects of fiqh.

It is, therefore, better to practice the preferred view of the school of Fiqh you follow.